It has been 30 minutes since I let that old man go and looking at Reeve, he wasn't really satisfied with what I had done, but..historical

"You helped me find their hideout.. so I will let this go. Though I want to know something before I end this topic.. who is Parallax?" he asked with a serious face and I looked at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Hit me with all your might at the centre," as I move my hands in front and apply earth mana on it. I also applied Life and Light magic into it, but only on the inside. On the outside, only a weak earth magic layer was present.

To take extra precautions, I also added a bit of blood magic at that spot, strengthening the area around the centre to brace for the impact. Reeve, a bit confused, looked at me before he nodded and then prepared for a move, concentrating his magic on his left arm.

'So he is a lefty, huh?' I thought as I saw him concentrating more and more mana into it, attracting the attention of everyone around us.

People were slightly scared due to the energy surge making them take more than a couple of steps back, while Linda and Irene stood on their spots without any intention to stop us as they observed my face with curiosity.

'There trust in me.. is quite a lot, isn't it? Or perhaps they don't really care what happens to me? Wonder, which is it,' I thought before I saw him shouting,

"[Shadow Goddesses Sword]" and then moving towards me as he attacked the very spot where I asked him to.

-BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!

A loud explosion occurs, creating dust all around us. The dust took a few seconds to settle down, but after it did, what everyone saw made them dumbfounded as they were left speechless.

I was standing there, holding Reeve's head without moving even an inch. My expression was nonchalant as I just stood there looking at Reeve, who was gawking at me with his eyes wide open. He looked like he could not believe what he was watching and I just answered him,

"You aren't strong enough to know the answer."

Well.. he is strong all right.. but with his pathetic mana control, all I had to do was segregate his powers over different points and cancel it with Light magic. I wasn't completely unharmed, I did take some damage, but it was mostly absorbed by earth magic and healed by Life magic, making it look like I just stood there with no damage taken.

Blood magic also played an important role in this, as it helped enhance my ability to think faster and segregate his magic not only just once or twice, but about dozens of times.

I then put my hands in my pocket before speaking,"Well.. you are welcome too, I guess," and then I looked at Irene and Linda as I spoke,"Let's go."

Though Reeve stopped me as he asked,"who.. who are you?"

'I think I heard this question quite a lot today,' I thought as I sighed before turning to him as I spoke,"and what exactly would you do knowing about me?"

At my question, he just turned quiet but his gaze did not separate from mine, instead it got deeper before he spoke again.

"I have heard.. that you make deals with people a lot.."

His expression was odd, and I tilted my head a little before speaking,"Everyone in this world has problems. You, me, and perhaps everyone in this world has it. There is no one who is spared from fate.. I just solve people's problems in exchange for solving my own."

While I do call it a 'deal' but honestly, I just don't have a better word to explain what I do. Telling people that I am helping them for a better future and for my own redemption.. sounds too cheesy, plus people get even more curious about my past trying to barge in my privacy no matter how much distance I try to maintain with them.

"What do you mean by that?" Reeve asked, and I shook my head before speaking,"it's nothing. Forget about it.. you tell me, do you want me to do something for you?"

Hearing my words, he shuts up for a few seconds before speaking,"I would like to discuss that in private."

I sighed before nodding and then speaking,"let's meet at the castle tomorrow then. I have some work today."

I then nodded at Irene and Linda, who nodded back before all three of us began walking. Reeve stood there not speaking anything as he just kept watching us moving farther away from him.

A little later he also began walking but in a different direction from us. Perhaps he had something to finish in the town. I believe it has to do something with those slave traders..

"You are quite strong, aren't you?" Linda speaks as he bends a little and looks at my face and I peek at her as I look forwards before speaking,

"A little."

At my words, she smirks a little before looking at Irene and saying,"Irene, what do you think Reeve wants from Zero? Oh wait! Now that I think about it, 4 people in your family are making a deal with him.. if it keeps on going like this, won't he gain control of your family in a way?"

Hearing her words, Irene suddenly stops as she looks at me with a wide gaze, finally realising what exactly I was trying to do.

'Damn you Linda.. you and your smart mouth,' I thought as I glared at Linda, making her chuckle at me. Irene wanted to say something, but before she spoke, I spoke again,"I am trying that exactly. Mark Leeway should have figured this out long ago too, and he doesn't seem like he is backing out.. Though it concerns his daughter, so.. what about you, Irene? Now that you know what I am doing, are you going to back out now?"

Irene looked at me with a complex expression before she started speaking.

"I..."